Park Stories

Joshua Tree March 13–16, 2026 I thoroughly enjoy revisiting any park I’ve already photographed. It offers the chance to revive and deepen my understanding of the park’s beauty. It’s easier to bypass…

Death Valley March 14, 2026 We are in the area visiting Joshua Tree National Park, so we don’t have long in Death Valley—maybe a couple hours before sunset? Then it’s back on…

Gates of the Arctic March 17–21, 2026 We were poised to backpack Gates of the Arctic National Park last year, but a large storm system parked itself over the Brooks Range and…

Saguaro March 1–3, 2026 This year’s total lunar eclipse draws me back to Saguaro National Park for the best chance of clear skies, warm nights and hopefully a blood moon—so called for…

American Samoa September 23–25, 2025 I remember when Hawai’i felt far. But today, I land in Hawai’i and am still are only halfway to American Samoa. With a 24-hour layover, I crash…

Voyageurs September 12–14, 2025 Some of the best trips are often the least planned. As a lesser-known destination, we hardly know what to expect from a trip to Voyageurs National Park when…

Wrangell-St. Elias August 31–September 5, 2025 Do you remember that scene in Jurassic Park when Alan Grant rescues the kids after the car is stuck in the tree? They finally make it…

Kobuk Valley August 26, 2025 I board my flight in Denver with high hopes for my two-week, Alaska adventure ahead. The plan is to hit both arctic national parks, starting with Kobuk…

Wrangell-St. Elias July 30–August 3, 2025 After landing back in Anchorage at Merrill Field Airport from our dreamy stay in Lake Clark National Park, we shuttle to Merrill Field Inn a half-mile…

Katmai July 28, 2025 It’s 8 a.m. and we wake up in Port Alsworth, Alaska, to a partly cloudy morning. After grabbing our day packs with lunch and hiking gear, we head…

Lake Clark July 26–29, 2025 A trip to an Alaskan national park is never simple or cheap, so stringing as many parks together as possible always helps the bottom line. The plan…

Capitol Reef June 22–23, 2025 I have visited Capitol Reef National Park once before, but like this visit it was only for a single night returning from another national park. This time…

Great Basin June 20–22, 2025 When I think of Nevada I imagine the burning sun-drenched land of Las Vegas or the Valley of Fire. That’s why it was confounding to drive hours…

Glacier Bay June 7–10, 2025 I have never been to the panhandle of Alaska before. My pre-trip research tells me to expect typical Alaskan terrain: forests, mountains, rocky coastlines, and massive glaciers…

Indiana Dunes May 24–26, 2025 It is rare to travel to a park with nearly no context for what it has to offer. That’s where we find ourselves as we travel 4.5…

Gateway Arch May 23–24, 2025 I fly in late to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to visit my brother with plans of journeying northward to St. Louis’ Gateway Arch National Park and Indiana Dunes National…

Congaree May 16–19, 2025 When aiming to visit every national park, sometimes a red-eye flight is an inevitable inconvenience. That’s why we find ourselves departing Denver International Airport at 11:59pm on a…

White Sands February 22–23, 2025 It’s a short trip, we know, to spend just one night on a weekend in a park. It leaves a lot on the line for that one…

Virgin Islands February 3–6, 2025 Sometimes, the journey to and from a national park feels just as long as the time spent in the park, and the remote location of Virgin Islands…

Hawai’i Volcanoes January 18–20, 2025 Back in April of 2024, my first visit to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park left me a bit lacking. We didn’t experience any volcanic activity—the very namesake of…

Guadalupe Mountains October 5, 2024 Our stop in Guadalupe Mountains is a quick one. With only half a day to explore, we make strategic plans to hit the park’s highlights. Arriving at…

Carlsbad Caverns October 4, 2024 It’s a short but welcome notice that my special-use permit to photograph the infamous bat flight has been approved, so I shift plans and head up a…

Big Bend October 2–4, 2024 Big Bend National Park is a 12.5 hour drive almost due south of us and so to maximize our time in the park we leave early enough…

Rocky Mountain September 30, 2024 The hour is early. It’s 4 a.m. and we must leave our home in Monument, Colorado, to drive up the front range to Rocky Mountain National Park…

Yellowstone September 9–12, 2024 It’s 5:00 a.m. and we take to the road for a ten hour drive from Colorado to Yellowstone National Park. Recommended for it’s abundant wildlife, our first stop…

Sequoia August 31–September 2, 2024 We are driving back from the eastern backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park on our way to Sequoia National Park. Turning up Generals Highway, we make our…

Kings Canyon August 29–31, 2024 Our visit to Kings Canyon begins with a backcountry foray from the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. After landing in Fresno, California, we hop in…

North Cascades August 20–23, 2024 Leading up to the trip, we watch the status of several wildfires in the Cascade mountains, keeping a close eye on the weather. We land in Seattle…

Great Smoky Mountains August 7–8, 2024 It’s the afternoon and we are driving east on Interstate 40 from Nashville, Tennessee, to our friend Dan’s house in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Arriving in…

Mammoth Cave August 5, 2024 After a two hour drive from Nashville, Tennessee, we find ourselves pulling into the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center roughly thirty minutes before our cave tour. Upon entry…

Redwood July 27–30, 2024 The commute from the Medford Airport has us a little concerned as vast acreage of upland forest is left decimated by wildfires. But as we near the coast…

Lassen Volcanic July 25–26, 2024 Typical of California summers, smoke from a wildfire hangs in the distant air. We have our eyes glued to the horizon the entire drive down to Lassen…

Crater Lake July 23–25, 2024 The roughly two hour drive from Medford to Crater Lake rolls by in patches of charming farmland and forested mountainside. Upon arriving we stop in at the…

Isle Royale July 2–4, 2024 After landing in what seems the smallest airport imaginable (only a single gate), in Houghton, Michigan, we head to Copper Harbor to spend the night before our…

Theodore Roosevelt June 9–11, 2024 Leaving home mid-morning, we drive the ten hours to Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s South Unit arriving at the Painted Canyon Nature Trail just before sunset. Upon entering…

Pinnacles May 25–26, 2024 Driving up the coast from L.A., we land in the quiet town of Hollister for the duration of our visit to Pinnacles. For being a lesser-known park, it…

Channel Islands May 23–24, 2024 After flying in late the previous night, we rise early to drive through the L.A. traffic to the Oxnard Marina where we are to board Island Packer’s…

Hot Springs May 15–16, 2024 Our trip lands us in the quaint town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, mid-afternoon. With only 24 hours to fully explore the park, our first item of business…

New River Gorge May 11, 2024 Due to some events in the area, I have the opportunity to drive down to New River Gorge for just a single day with family. In…

Hawai’i Volcanoes April 28–30, 2024 Venturing to the Hawaiian Islands is no small feat, but when flight prices dropped we had to take advantage of the opportunity. Having boarded our flights to…

Biscayne April 8–9, 2024 The Florida Keys are a long chain of islands off the tip of Florida extending south and westward into the gulf. Biscayne National Park sits on the eastern…

Dry Tortugas April 8, 2024 It’s unusual to only spend a couple hours in a park and deem it a full-fledged “trip” but with remote parks like Dry Tortugas, sometimes that’s all…

Everglades April 5–7, 2024 It’s safe to say I’m a sucker for cheap flights. A couple months ago, I found a red-eye flight to Miami for under $100 roundtrip. . . Seemed…

Grand Canyon February 11–13, 2024 We’re starting off our tour of Grand Canyon National Park with a bang—perhaps even the highlight of the entire trip according to our expectations. Having just visited…

Petrified Forest February 10–11, 2024 The goal of this trip is to hit Petrified Forest National Park on my way to Grand Canyon National Park in a roadtrip loop. Because Petrified Forest…

Yosemite January 4–6, 2024 An worthwhile method of escaping Yosemite’s hoards is to visit during the off-season. Not only does this offer a quieter experience, but oftentimes a cheaper one at that….

Acadia October 11–14, 2023 It’s 10:23 p.m. and we just landed in Bangor after a long 9 hour travel day. It’s dark and foggy at the airport as we pick up our…

Cuyahoga Valley September 23, 2023 I am visiting a friend in Columbus, Ohio, so naturally a quick day-trip up to Cuyahoga Valley National Park is in order. And of course, my thirst…

Glacier September 16–19, 2023 Like most trips, we land in a regional airport (Missoula, in this case), rent a car, and must still drive three hours to the park. Pulling into the…

Shenandoah September 8–10, 2023 I fly into Washington Dulles International Airport just before noon and meet my brother at the curb. He picks me up and we drive a little over an…

Bryce Canyon August 27–28, 2023 A little after sunrise, we begin the drive up the Mount Carmel Highway from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon. The Utah sun is shining clear and…

Zion August 25–27, 2023 In August, Zion National Park is hot. So hot in fact, Park Service warn visitors by demonstrating the ability to bake cookies on your car’s dashboard. That’s hot….

Olympic July 17–19, 2023 Having just spent three gorgeous days in Mount Rainier National Park, spirits couldn’t be higher as we travel back upstate through Seattle to Olympic National Park. We have…

Mount Rainier July 13–15, 2023 This trip holds special significance since it coincides with our participation in the Mount Rainier Half Marathon. Arriving into Seattle late at night, we rent a car…

Black Canyon of the Gunnison June 10–11, 2023 After an awe-inspiring stay at Great Sand Dunes the night before, I pack up in the morning and hit the road west towards Black…

Great Sand Dunes June 9–10, 2023 Our plan was to spend two nights camping in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but after a rare campsite in Pinon Flats Campground opens…

Wind Cave June 3–4, 2023 By cutting our successful trip to Badlands National Park short by a day, we are able to squeeze in a jaunt over to Wind Cave National Park….

Badlands June 2–3, 2023 Located 464 miles north, we wake early to make the most of a short weekend in Badlands National Park. We watch mountains give way to foothills give way…

Arches May 11–13, 2023 All packed up we drive out from Castle Rock, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, for a mountain biking, park-seeing adventure. Though there are no mountain bike trails in Arches…

Canyonlands May 13 and 15, 2023 Our grand Utah excursion continues from Arches National Park into Canyonlands National Park as my uncle, cousin, and I pull into the Island in the Sky…

Haleakala April 15–19, 2023 I have never been to Hawai’i before. In fact, I grew up thinking Hawai’i would always be outside my price range, so I never really had an expectation…

Grand Teton September 26–28, 2021 I’m not much for spontaneous living. Usually I need weeks if not months to plan an overnight trip anywhere, but a last-minute opening at Signal Mountain Campground…

Mesa Verde August 6–8, 2021 Though in our homestate of Colorado, the drive down to Mesa Verde National Park is just far enough to warrant a weekend stay. So after a beautiful…

Denali June 1–5, 2021 On our pre-dawn drive upstate from Kenai Fjords National Park, we drop the rental car off in Anchorage and grab a taxi to the Alaska Railroad Depot. At…

Kenai Fjords May 29–31, 2021 It’s our first time stepping foot in Alaska, a bucket list trip held long on the books in our family, and it feels surreal. Our homemade itinerary…

Death Valley January 5–8, 2020 It’s true every park leaves a lasting impression after you visit, but little do I just how much Death Valley will change the course of my life…

Saguaro November 24–25, 2019 Apart from my work in the national parks, I am also a high school cross country coach and our team’s success this year brings us to Nike’s Regional…

Joshua Tree November 2–4, 2019 The park that starts it all for me. Of course, I don’t know that at this time. I just assume I’m visiting Joshua Tree National Park to…